Pivoted combination game board and exercising device



June 8, 1965 E. s. LARSON, JR 3,188,

PIVOTED COMBINATION GAME BOARD AND EXERCISING DEVICE' Filed Feb. 15, 1963 wmfapwz,

3,183,ii87 PIVUTED QGMBHNATEON GAME BQARD ANB EXERCISENG DEVECE Edward S. Larson, in, Homewood, Ill., assignor to Marvin'Glass & Associates, Qhicago, 1th, a partnership Filed Feb. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 258,343 2 Ciaims. (Cl; 273-116) The present invention relates generally to a game and is more particularly directed to a game requiring skill, but which also affords physical exercise for the participant.

Games and novelty devices which provide for combining skill with exercise have been popular with children for a long time, as most recently evidenced by the popularity of the hula hoop. In the more remote past, children were entertained by paddle balls, hoop rolling, return tops, etc. The present invention is directed to a novel form of means providing an amusement activity for an individual.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a game device which affords means for exercising, while at the same time sustaining the individual participants interest by requiring a certain degree of dexterity and agility in order to produce a visible result. More particularly, it is an object of the invention is provide a tiltable board including a central, circular section having recesses therein and a ball rotatable in such section, so thata person standing on the tiltableboard is required to rock the board in an effort to place the ball in one of the recesses. Still another object is to provide a game or device of the type described, wherein the circular section also includes projections or hazards guarding the recesses and a plurality of balls are provided which'are to be placed in each of the several recesses. Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the device as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective plan view of a preferred embodiment; t

FIGURE 2 is another perspective plan view of the embodiment in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a slightly reduced cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

With reference particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be seen that the preferred embodiment of the inven tion comprises generally an oblong-shaped board 5, which has its maximum thickness at its center portion and is tapered outwardly therefrom toward the opposite ends and shaped generally so as to provide a convexly curved under surface 7 and a generally fiat, horizontal upper surface 9. At opposite ends of the board there is included on the upper surface a pair of generally plane portions ,11 and 13, which provide means for placement of the participants feet. The bottom surface of the board t is gradually curved upwardly with respect to both the longitudinal and transverse axes along. substantially the entire length and width of the board, so that a person standing on the board can achieve a rocking or tilting motion of the board by shifting his weight relative to the center of the board. The central portion of the board is defined by a raised, circular rim which encompasses a clown face or the like having depressions or recesses 17 and 19 forming the eyes of the face. One or more balls 23 are disposed within the circular rim, and it is required that the participant of the game rock the board ferred that a plurality of balls 23 be included in the game and that all of the balls must be successfully deposited Peg-tented June 8, 1965 r in the depressions through the described action of the player.

The game may also provide for a contest between two or more persons, wherein the person achieving the stated results in the minimum amount of time will be the winner. To further heighten the interest in the game, it may be required that the participant not only deposit the balls in the recesses 17 and 19, but he must alsoremove himself from the board without disturbing the pocketed position of the balls.

As noted also in FIGURES 3 and 4, the circular face portion of the board also preferably includes raised portions 25, 27, 29 and 30, defining the eyebrows, nose and the mouth of the face, respectively, which raised portions serve as hazards or barriers to the entry of the balls into the recesses and movement around the board. These raised portions, of course, add to the skill required of the participant in moving the balls into the recesses 17 and 19.

Although the described game device may be made of any suitable material, it is particularly adapted for formation from plastic material of adequate strength to support the weight of a person, wherein the board is generally hollow but includes transverse vertical ribs 31 structurally connecting the curved bottom wall 7 with the flat upper surface 9. Then too, the opposite ends 11 and 13 of the upper surface of the board are preferably provided with ribs 33 or other frictional means, so as to prevent slipping of the players feet while he is positioned on the board. If desired, these raised rib portions 33 can be additionally coated with rubber or other pliable plastic material, so as to further increase the frictional effect.

Although shown and described with respect to a particular embodiment, it will be apparent that various modifications might be made without departing from the principles of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement and exercising device comprising an elongated member having a top portion including a pair of generally flat upper surfaces at opposite ends thereof which are dimensioned and spaced to receive the feet of a person in spaced apart positions on the top of said member, said member having a bottom portion defining a convexly curved lower surface for support of the member in a manner providing for tilting movement of the member in all directions about its center, the curvature of said lower surface being gradual and extending substantially the entire length and width of the member, said top portion including a central surface section intermediate said pair of fiat upper surfaces which is defined by a generally circular rim, a plurality of recesses formed in said central surface section, and a ball disposed within the rim and adapted to be positioned in any of said recesses, said device being of material of sufiicient strength to support a person thereon, whereby a person supported on said member with his feet astride said central section can cause a rocking movement of said board by shifting his weight and thereby cause said ballto roll within said circular rim and be deposited in one of said recesses.

2. An amusement and exercising device comprising an elongated member having a top portion including a pair of generally flat upper surfaces at opposite ends thereof which are dimensioned and spaced to receive the feet of a person in spaced apart positions on the top of said member, a plurality of generally parallel ribs on said pair of flat upper surfaces, said member having a bottom portion defining a convexly curved lower surface for support of the member in a manner providing for tilting movement of the member in all directions about its center, the curvature of said lower surface being gradual and extending substantially the entire length and width of the member, said top portion including a central surface section intermediate said pair of fiat upper surfaces which is defined by an upwardly protruding, generally circular r-im, a plurality of recesses formed in said central surface section, raised portions adjacent said recesses and along only a portion of the periphery thereof, and a plurality of balls disposed within the rim and adapted to be positioned in any of said recesses, said device being of material of sufficient strength to support a person thereon, whereby a person supported on said member with his feet astride said central section can cause a rocking movement of said board by shifting his Weight and thereby cause said balls to roll within said circular rim and be deposited in said recesses.

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,040,058 10/12 Tomlin 273110 3,024,021 3/62 Coplin et a1. 27257 FOREIGN PATENTS 1889 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AMUSEMENT AND EXERCISING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVING A TOP PORTION INCLUDING A PAIR OF GENERALLY FLAT UPPER SURFACES AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF WHICH ARE DIMENSIONED AND SPACED TO RECEIVE THE FEET OF A PERSON IN SPACED APART POSITIONS ON THE TOP OF SAID MEMBER, SAID MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM PORTION DEFINING A CONVEXLY CURVED LOWER SURFACE FOR SUPPORT OF THE MEMBER IN A MANNER PROVIDING FOR TILTING MOVEMENT OF THE MEMBER IN ALL DIRECTIONS ABOUT ITS CENTER, THE CURVATURE OF SAID LOWER SURFACE BEING GRADUAL AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF THE MEMBER, SAID TOP PORTION INCLUDING A CENTRAL SURFACE SECTION INTERMEDIATE SAID PAIR OF FLAT UPPER SURFACES WHICH IS DEFINED BY A GENERALLY CIRCULAR RIM, A PLURALITY OF RECESSES FORMED IN SAID CENTRAL SURFACE SECTION, AND A BALL DISPOSED WITHIN THE RIM AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN ANY OF SAID RECESSES, SAID DEVICE BEING OF MATERIAL OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO SUPPORT A PERSON THEREON, WHEREBY A PERSON SUPPORTED ON SAID MEMBER WITH HIS FEET ASTRIDE SAID CENTRAL SECTION CAN CAUSE A ROCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID BOARD BY SHIFTING HIS WEIGHT AND THEREBY CAUSE SAID BALL TO ROLL WITHIN SAID CIRCULAR RIM AND BE DEPOSITED IN ONE OF SAID RECESSES. 